Always You
by EnchantedtoMeetYou
Summary: I just want to write a series of St. Berry one-shots where they always choose each other. In each and every universe, they remain inevitable. Rated M for the potential of any future plots that skew into adult themes.
1. Here Right Now

**Author's Note: It's been about 7 years since I wrote St. Berry stuff. If anyone is still into this and reads, please be kind. I missed my old muses and wanted to stretch the writing muscle once more. This little thing was inspired by the opening number of Ghost The Musical! I may continue this as a series of one-shots to get back into writing again. I _really_ did miss it. **

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Of all the things that Jesse St. James imagined doing with his money after his first Tony Awards sweep, it sure as hell wasn't this. Sure, a lot of people decide to go ahead and buy the house of their dreams when they come into fortune and fame, but he actually thought it would be a lofty penthouse suite overlooking Central Park with a rooftop pool that he could come home to after his shows on scorching summer nights. But, here we was, the literal day after the Tony Awards and now following his wife through the doors of a run-down townhouse that appeared to be a day away from being condemned.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, his nose crinkling as they ducked under a fallen beam that didn't do much to boost his confidence on how structurally sound this building had to be. "I think to call this place a fixer-upper is a serious understatement."

"I've never been more certain of anything in my life..." Rachel replied with her usual flair for the dramatic. She stepped up to wipe away years of built-up dust from the front window, allowing sunlight to fill the whole front room. "Well, except for being a Broadway star and marrying you."

It was then that the light hit Rachel's face and he could see just how eager she was to somehow make this place their home. How could he deny those bright eyes that he fell for so long ago. Sometimes it felt like it was only yesterday that they were two high school students who believed show choir was the be-all and end-all of everything. There was a time when his life revolved around National trophies and trying to reclaim Rachel's heart after so carelessly breaking it. Thank goodness the teenage drama was long gone, allowing them to move on and focus on what was here, right now.

"This is it, Jesse. Can you see it? This is the entryway that'll lead over to the biggest living room. We can put a sectional there with a coffee table. And the fireplace! We can put our Tony's there and our Christmas stockings will hang from it in the winter."

She was speaking at about a mile a minute as she zipped through the space as quickly as she could. It was quite the feat, given the fact that the place was littered in old broken furniture, covered in dusty white sheets, and cobwebs for days. As she moved, Jesse had to make sure that he was one step ahead of her to push something out of the way, make sure that she didn't get hurt, or get her hair covered in spiderwebs.

"Do you think we can knock out this wall?" she asked as she pulled a bright pink measuring tape from a pocket in her oversized overalls. "Because then we can look out into our living room from the kitchen and watch our kids play."

"Our kids, huh?" he asked with a slight smirk that Rachel hoped he would never grow out of. "I suppose they will need a whole playroom as well. Is there room for that?"

"Already ahead of you!" she called out from the old staircase. His head whipped around to find her because he couldn't figure out how she got up there so quickly.

So he followed her, going up two stairs at a time just to keep up.

"Not only will there be a playroom, but this will be the-"

"Dance studio," Jesse whispered, his eyes now gleaming with possibility as he looked over at the old mirrors on the far wall. He could actually see it. They could do their morning yoga there and come back whenever they wanted to practice a routine. And as the light filtered through the dust, he could practically see them with a small child in tights toddling across the hardwood floor in the tiniest of ballet slippers.

"I can see it now, Rach. You know, life has been going at a mile a minute with the Award season and with you starting a new show that I never took a minute to stop and think about where it could all go from here. Where you go when all of your dreams start to come true. But this is it. This is where we get to build a new dream."

As she stepped out of the shadows and into the light, he could see her eyes glistening with the beginnings of tears. "You really think so, Jesse?"

"I know there's so much left for us to discover, but this is where we're going to do it all. This is where we'll build a family and create a home," he nodded. "Let's do it."

It was then that Rachel catapulted herself into his arms with utmost glee. In that moment, it was like time hadn't actually passed and they were still just like the two love-struck teenagers they once were when they first met. He twirled her in his arms like he had when they sang duets in her childhood bedroom. The only thing that really changed was the love that they shared which had grown and matured exponentially. Despite that, he would always still look at her like she was his north star. The star that was somehow bright enough to still shine through the bright lights of the big city. As he thought about it, he knew it was only fitting, because when he looked at her, he would always feel home.

It was here, right now, in this hidden gem of a fixer-upper that he felt it more than ever before.


	2. So It Goes

_A/N: It feels so good to be writing these two again! I recently went back and watched all St. Berry scenes for a refresher and was left more inspired than ever. I'd like to take a moment to thank **BroadwayFreak5357** for the encouragement as well as **gleestberry** for the warm welcome back into the St. Berry fanfic community. I've already formed a bit of a shortlist on ideas for this series, but if anyone has any requests on moments, I'd definitely love some suggestions! _

_This one was a little difficult because I have always found Jesse a lot easier to tap into than Rachel. But, I wanted to fully delve into what it must have felt for her to return to New York City and feel the beginnings of love reawakening between them. That, and sexy times. _

_Enjoy!_

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You would think that being back in New York City would have felt better than this. The electric hub practically called out to anyone who was ever looking to start over and take a shot at being brand new. It was a place where you could on one day walk down an East Village side street and find an old coffee shop that sold the best chai lattes and then a week later, it would be gone and replaced with a cat cafe. The city begged for constant reinvention. The skyline was always changing, so much so that New York City was always something of a work in progress. This seemed to make it shine as a beacon to anyone and everyone who was ever looking to start over and get their next chance at becoming who they always dreamed they could be.

Now that Rachel Berry was back in her old stomping grounds, she honestly found herself quite terrified. This wasn't the first time that she tried to make her New York dream work and she could almost hear the past taunting her in the shrill of the taxi cars honking their horns. All of this shame in having previously failed was drowning out what should have been an exhilarating feeling as she walked down the pavement in Midtown under the bright lights of the theater marquees.

She had only been in New York since this morning when the plane touched down in Laguardia. Since then, the rest of her day consisted of settling into an AirBnB while she tried her hardest to find a suitable living arrangement. Kurt and Blaine had reached out with open arms to give her a place to stay, but she didn't have the heart to get in between and be a third wheel when their lives were falling into place in a way that she would never admit that she envied.

No, she was determined to figure it all out on her own so that she can finally get it right this time. Now that NYADA was giving her a second chance at finishing her education, she wasn't going to do anything that could compromise it. Giving up a dream role on Broadway and risking her career for what turned out to be a doomed television gig was the most humbling experience of her life. She would chalk it up as a lesson learned that no amount of talent can save you from poor choices and that even the best of the best needed to be cautious when rolling the dice. This time around, she would finish honing her craft, get her degree, and try again with the confidence that she at least had all of her bases covered. And yet still, nothing was guaranteed and the knowledge of what happened before served as a dead weight on her shoulders the second she returned.

With all of this in mind, coupled with the blaring sounds of the traffic (was it always this loud?), Rachel couldn't help but feel so overwhelmed to the point where only the negative and thoughts were repeating in increasing volume as though her brain was a scratched CD. It was absolutely maddening, to say the least. In a moment of desperation, Rachel knew that all she needed was a sign that everything was going to be okay. With that, she knew she could go back to being the self-assured young ingenue who was going to sing her redemption song for all to hear.

Stopping in the middle of the busy sidewalk, she looked around for her sign. People behind her groaned as they had to step around the young diva who was holding up the walking traffic. Having lived in the city before, she should have known that this was a complete no-no to New Yorkers, but she wasn't exactly thinking straight to be as considerate. All she saw was the marquee lights, an old bar that was packed with young tourists, and a beaten-up off-brand Minnie Mouse mascot that was probably heading to Times Square with their shoulders slumped with dread.

"Can I just get a sign?" she shouted out, her arms spread up to the sky in total helplessness. "Am I gonna get it right this time?"

And like clockwork, the city replied. Or at least the sky did. That moment, the sky opened up and brought upon a torrential downpour of hard summer rain. Sure, Manhattan may have been going through a weeklong heatwave before she arrived and the sky had reached its humid breaking point, but in Rachel's mind, this was personal.

"YOU'RE TAUNTING ME!" she shouted, pointing her finger in the air as the rain continued to drench her. With a huff, she kicked a puddle and sprayed it at the streets in vexation.

"You know, when I rode the subway with Pizza Rat, I thought I had seen everything that there was to see in this city. But now, running into someone screaming at the sky for bringing on rain is definitely brand new. I love this place," said a figure that emerged from the nearby stage door with a large black umbrella over their head.

Rachel didn't even need to turn around and look to know who it was. She knew that smooth, velvety voice anywhere, even in the middle of her soaking wet nervous breakdown. Somehow, she could actually hear the smirk in his voice as it echoed off the wet pavement. As she turned and brushed her now long mop of hair out of her face, she saw that lyrical smile that used to set her body on fire once upon a time.

"How is it that you always manage to turn up when I'm at an emotional crossroads in my life?" she asked, now crossing her arms over her now ruined white floral dress that was probably starting to show a little too much through the soaked cotton.

"You were the one who walked up to my theater you know," he said, now holding the umbrella out so she can get under it. Despite the fact that he was left in the dark about exactly when she was coming back to the big city, there didn't seem to be any hint of surprise on his face in regards to their twist of fate reunion. There was only that soft curve of his lips that said he was not the least bit surprised, but still highly amused. His free hand was outstretched to her.

"Jesse…" she sighed, now losing all resolve as she fell into his arms, seeking shelter from the storm. Both figuratively and literally.

"You know, when we typically do this, you tend to start the interaction by beginning a song. Then I chime in unexpectedly, thus allowing us to reach a level of understanding and performative gratification that eases us into the part where we catch up, share our innermost fears and desires, flirt a little, kiss, and part ways until fate brings us back together another time." He said all of this, so smoothly as he held her against his chest and nestled his chin on top of her wet hair. "You went off script this time."

If this was her sign from the universe, then Rachel would gladly take it. It wasn't a secret that Jesse was in the city now. He had gone to her back in Lima to convince her to take the part opposite him in the new Russel Simmons musical that Jesse was certain would give him the critically acclaimed Broadway debut that would permanently seal his name in Broadway Legend History. It was hard to forget their talk about this because it happened to end in a highly flirtatious exchange that left things very open to the possibility of something more. Then there was the kiss that reawakened that old familiar electricity that only ever seemed to run through her when she felt his touch or sank into his embrace. It was a feeling that at one point scared her enough to believe that he wasn't right for her. Common sense says to run away from a lightning storm, that any contact with its intensity would only result in serious injury or death. In her defense, she did get injured when she engaged with him, but she also knew that she wasn't exactly innocent with his emotions, either. So, there was really no point in keeping score. Somewhere in the back of her mind, there was the urge to frolic with lightning once again for the simple fact that she had never felt more alive than when she danced with danger.

"Can we get out of here?" she finally asked, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. His stare was absent of its usual intensity. His eyes were still crystalline blue, but now his gaze was a lot easier to read. Perhaps the long day of rehearsals had worn him out and taught him some humility. Unlikely. Perhaps he was just sympathetic to the fact that she looked like she was really emotionally compromised and needed a little tenderness.

"My Uber should actually be pulling up soon," he said, reaching for his back pocket where his phone had been. The map showed the driver was actually pulling up the block any moment. "Let's go back to my place. You look like you can use a drink."

Maybe at one point she would have denied it. Having sworn off distractions from finishing school, it was obvious that Jesse St. James was the quintessential example of one. He had, after all, proposed that she move in with him when she last saw him.

"No strings attached, of course… he said flirtatiously," she remembered him say.

There was no fighting his magnetic pull, tonight. Not after the day she was having.

"That would be perfect," she finally replied, straightening up a little and turning to the car that had now stopped before them. She let Jesse pull the door open for her and quickly slid in to prevent getting hit by any more rainfall.

After taking a moment to close the umbrella, Jesse got in after her and looked over at her. His gaze, while innocent, made her feel like she was under an x-ray. She knew that he couldn't read minds, but he had an understanding of her on such a deep level that had always been quite mystifying. That was probably due to the fact that Jesse St. James had a talent for being able to actually read her better than she could read herself sometimes. The gift wasn't one-sided, however, because she was often able to see right through his hardened showface whenever he felt the need to hide from his own feelings.

"Where are you staying?" he finally asked.

"That is still in limbo, at the moment. I'm at an Airbnb until I find something, but I only got here today," she explained as she took her hair in her hands and twisted all of the water out.

"I rent a place in the West Village," he said casually, and she knew that there was that old offer in his tone. "I've got a second bedroom. I know I offered it before, but it is still on the table if you are interested.

"Let me think about it?" she asked, knowing that she was in no place right now to make such a big decision as rooming with her ex-boyfriend when she was trying to get it right this time and finish her education at NYADA.

"Absolutely. Have you had dinner?" he asked, now sounding a bit more excited. "Because I've really gotten into cooking since I moved out here. Partially because it would look good in a lifestyle magazine spread about my life offstage, but also because I've found it so much fun to challenge myself with something else to be the best at."

"That would be heavenly," she sighed, now feeling like her old self was coming back and taking over. Warmth was returning to her, giving her the notion that things might actually be okay.

Despite the midtown to downtown traffic, the ride didn't end up being so bad. In that time, Jesse and Rachel caught up again. He shared a few stories from rehearsal, including a rather hilarious anecdote about how he tried to method act his way into learning the ways of the graffiti artists like the character he plays. "It didn't work out and now there is a really unintentionally creepy looking cat on the walls in the alley behind the theater."

By the end of the ride, Rachel had felt so much more at ease. The panic must have been like pre-wedding jitters, because now that she had come down from the swell of it all, everything seemed totally manageable. Finishing at NYADA and returning to Broadway was something that she was starting to be sure of again. Maybe all she really needed at the time was an anchor to keep her from flying away.

"This is some apartment, Jesse," she remarked as she followed him in through the entryway of his top floor apartment. It had exposed brick on one side and cool grey walls on the other with very minimalist decor. Any decoration that was there was very uniquely Jesse. There was an old Vocal Adrenaline poster on the wall for one of their Invitationals right next to a group photo with his old team. Anyone who entered his space would know how proud he was about those accomplishments, no matter how long ago they were.

"How does pasta sound?" he called out from where he poked his head out of the kitchen. "I bet you could use some comfort food."

"Perfect!" she replied with a bit of a shiver. Now that she was inside and in the central air conditioning, the wet clothes were starting to become more of an annoyance.

"Why don't we get you out of those clothes first?" he asked, bringing her to a smirk of her own because he was always quick to notice everything. "…and into new clothes, I mean," he added before ducking away into his room. Had he not moved so quickly, she would have sworn she saw a faint blush rise to his cheeks.

That was definitely new.

She followed him into his room and stopped at the full-length mirror by his bed to look herself over. That blush must have been because he definitely noticed how see through the dress she was wearing had become and he was absolutely trying to not ruin things and come on too strongly.

"How about a sweater?" he asked from his closet, eliciting her to follow him in and see his vast wardrobe of blacks, navy blues, and hunter greens.

It was then that she spotted a familiar pink plush from a box in the corner on the back shelf.

"Is that…?" she asked, her eyes widening.

"No, it's not," he quickly replied, trying to shove the old box further back and out of sight.

"Jesse!" she gasped, now knowing exactly what it was. "Give me my Care Bear!"

"Excuse me, it is my Care Bear. You can't just take it back after giving it to me fair and square," he said matter of factly, now reaching for the box it was in and taking it out to hold against his chest in the most adorable protective manner.

"It doesn't deserve to live in the back of your closet. I may have to take back custody and display it in my room," she said, now smiling up at him playfully as she pulled the box and the Care Bear away from him and out of the closet.

"Your room. So you're staying?" he asked, now following her out to where she was sitting on the edge of his bed. He noticed she was starting to sift through the contents of his box.

"Are you sure you want to look through that?" he asked as he ran his hand through his short hair that had started to curl after a long day of dance rehearsal and intense humidity.

There was a pause as she pulled out an old news article from the Lima Times announcing New Directions winning Nationals with a group photo of the whole team holding the coveted trophy that they worked so hard for. In the caption that listed the members of the team, there was a star beside her name. Next, there was an old picture of the two of them that she recognized from when it hung on his locker during his short time at McKinley High. Another photo from the time he took her to her Junior Prom. There was a Lionel Richie songbook for Hello. Lastly, there was a ticket stub for Funny Girl on Broadway bookmarking the Playbill on the cast page where her picture would be found.

"You have a Rachel box," she murmured as it all dawned on her.

"Guilty," he whispered, now seeming more vulnerable as he sank down next to her. There wasn't a hint of pretense about him. Maybe all of the years of encounters with her had left him without much need for putting up any walls. They were older now and frankly, both tired of all the games.

Rachel waited a beat and swallowed before she took the box and set it on the floor so she could close the space between them. She nodded to herself a little as she decided what she was going to do. In search of comfort, she took his hand from his side and put it on her hip. His brow arched and his breathing stilled as he registered what was happening. Once upon a time, he would have immediately shifted gears and taken her with all the intensity he had in him, but there had been too much cat and mouse for him to not tread with caution.

"You're coming on to me," he whispered, finding his old smirk perking back up. Without fail, that smile would always unravel her.

"Guilty," she echoed, now matching his gaze with confidence that the much younger schoolgirl version of herself from encounters past wouldn't have been able to muster.

That was all the permission he needed.

His eyes darkened to pure indigo as he tightened his grip on her waist and pulled her flush against his chest to finally take her lips with his. It was as though they had unfinished business that started when he last kissed her in the McKinley High auditorium and they were finally getting to pick up where they left off. She could feel his lips curling a little against her own as he tugged her up onto his lap and quickly started reaching up her back for a zipper. As he tugged it down, she could feel the warmth of his hand ghosting along her still damp back and it brought upon goosebumps.

"I can warm you up," he whispered against the shell of her ear before burying his head into her neck to suck on her pulse point like he used to. He seemed content by the way she mewled in response and threaded her fingers in his hair to pull him in for more.

"You already make me so hot," she breathed against his ear as her hands tugged up at his shirt and got up over his head. He absolutely did not protest to the action and lifted his arms up to make it easier to discard the offending piece of clothing that she found to be too much of a barrier between the two of them.

"Rachel Berry…" he chuckled, a little impressed at how much more confident she had become. Never in a million years would she have previously admitted to how hot she felt when his hands were caressing her body. And just when he was starting to wonder if that old Rachel was long gone, he caught the faint glow of a blush warming up her face as she stood up to let her dress and undergarments pool at her feet.

She watched as he propped himself up on one arm and looked her up and down with his chest rising and falling a bit heavier as he took her in. There he was again, scanning her with that x-ray like stare that always left her feeling so exposed. This was a man who knew what he wanted with such fine-tuned confidence. This was a man who never settled for anything less than what he knew he deserved and here he was with eyes that sang her praises. He must have experienced all the pleasures the finest women in the world could provide, and yet he was looking at Rachel as though she was the rarest and most precious prize to be held.

"You are… everything I've ever wanted," he murmured with a mixture of pride and reverence in his eyes. "You're perfect."

His hand reached out, as though asking for her to finally come home.

"If I'm perfect, then what are you?" she finally asked as she climbed back onto his lap.

He didn't even pause to consider an answer. A chuckle left his lips and he ran his hand down her side. For such a strong man, he had the softest hands and it did wonders at making Rachel feel both safe and incredibly turned on at the same time.

"A lucky bastard," he admitted before he used his hold on her to turn them around and set her down against the pillows. She sighed as she pulled the covers up around her for warmth and watched as he got up to unzip his tight black jeans and kick them off at the foot of the bed. The dim lights on his strong chest served as a very satisfying filter as it enhanced the muscle definition that was there from years of dancing. His shoulders were a little broader and his biceps much more defined to the point that he had become a work of art. New York was certainly treating him well.

"I could say the same," she smiled, reaching her right hand out to beckon him over with her finger.

He was at her side so quickly, their bodies rolling together as though beautifully choreographed. They were puzzle pieces falling into place as their hands reached and tugged at each other to close any possible space between the two. Time and circumstance had kept them apart for long enough. As he pulled her leg up over his, she arched her back and ground up against his hip, feeling a taste of what he had in store for her. He was hard and very obviously ready to take her. It was like something had awakened in Rachel right now and she felt such clarity in her mind paired with an absence of the usual anxiety that came from a first time intimate encounter. He was her magician in that way, and he had the most skillful hands that left her wanting to do the kind of bad things that her old self would have never even dared to entertain.

Then there was the way he looked at her. Don't even get her started on how incredibly alive and powerful she felt to be gazed upon with such devotion from a man who put the features of a greek god to shame. Those feelings only tripled as he slid down between her legs and pulled them up around his shoulders. Having not expected it, she tensed up momentarily, but was soothed by the feel of his hot breath against her most sensitive area. She had to admit to herself that the look of Jesse down between her legs looked so good on him. Better yet, it was a look that only she would be able to see. She could feel his hands actually shaking a little as he held her thighs, not from nerves, but from sheer anticipation that was years in the making.

Jesse's long fingers trailed along the trimmed dark hair and down her folds to give him the best access to her core. They felt so soft as he delicately spread her apart and all she could think of was all the times she watched him use the same gifted fingers to play the piano. Right about now, all she wanted was to feel those very fingers deep inside of her. So caught up with his touch, she was taken by surprise when she finally felt the slick sensation of his tongue as he gave her a much-anticipated taste. His tongue found her heat and danced with expert finesse. He didn't fumble or seem the least bit confused as to how to pleasure a woman… or even have trouble finding the clitoris, for that matter. It was like the difference between an expert pianist and a complete novice trying to play the same song. Only one fully knew how to stroke the keys in exactly the right way to do justice to their instrument. Only one could elicit such a sound. Jesse was a virtuoso when it came to the female anatomy and it was evident in the reverberating moans that left her small frame.

In the midst of the pleasure-filled haze, Rachel opened her eyes and saw him looking up at her with dark and insatiable eyes. He was definitely enjoying every sight of her writhing and whimpering for more. As she looked down at him, she had to admit to herself that she felt the same about the sight of him practically wearing her like a necklace as he relished in the taste of her.

"Jesse, I-" she gasped, now feeling a build-up of heat rising in her as he added fingers to the mix. They curved inside her, finding the spot that was sure to unravel her in an instant. And when he did, she was completely at his mercy. She cried and shuddered, feeling a total loss of control that was more exhilarating than she could have ever imagined. It was okay, though, because she was in amazing hands.

Not to be dramatic, but she definitely thought she had gone blind for a quick moment as she came for him. When she finally opened her eyes again and colors started to adjust, she could see Jesse pulling himself up over her in the afterglow. He wore a smile that sang of his satisfaction of a job well done.

"I've definitely dreamed of doing that for a while," he murmured, now rubbing her side as she tried to regain her breath.

"Was it as amazing for you as it was for me?" she asked, now grabbing his bicep and giving it a squeeze.

"I'd say it was better, but you clearly enjoyed that immensely," he replied, leaning down to kiss and nip at her shoulder with a light drag of his teeth. She bit her lip as he kissed down her chest, licking a delicious strip between her breasts before he started to suck at the bud of one her nipples as his hand lightly pinched the other. She had barely recovered from the last orgasm, but found herself already aching for something else that he could give her.

"I want more," she whispered fervently. She couldn't believe that she had been missing out on this level of supreme satisfaction with her past lovers who who couldn't hold a candle to Jesse's skill and dedication. Perhaps she should have realized it from the beginning, though. Jesse St. James was always the type to be stubborn about being the best at all he did, to the point where he wanted to show it off. He had been pining for this kind of show and tell with her since they were dumb high school students in her old Ohio bedroom. Now that she finally knew what she had been missing out on, she wasn't keen on letting him go. Luckily for her, Jesse didn't seem to be very flighty when it came to loving her.

"As you wish," he whispered. They then murmured an exchange about birth control, which she appreciated. It could have been so easy to get lost in the moment of their reunion, but Jesse showed that he cared enough to not want to derail her dreams after a night of passion.

Jesse shifted once again between her legs again, but this time he lined up with her entrance and wasted no time in burying deep inside her. As she succumbed to the passion, she noticed that he gazed down at her with such unadulterated love. It was as though he had finally come home after a long war and she was his lifeline that led him through. It wasn't difficult to realize that she had left a mark on him that time and distance had never been able to erase. He kissed her with such devotion that it was evident that if Jesse believed in any sort of religion, it was in what they created when they united. It was in their intimacy that only tied them together further on this night. As she looked into his eyes, Rachel found herself starting to believe.

Their breaths grew heavier as his hips picked up speed and strength in his thrusts. His hands skimmed her body from her breasts down to her ass, using his grip for purchase to ensure that his thrusts met with her own motions seamlessly. All the while, his pink lips alternated from deep kisses and bites to her neck. Her name left his lips with a number of other expletives, showing her just how amazing fucking her felt for him. That only made her swell with pride. It turned out that he wasn't the only one of them who was proud of their extraordinary talents.

Her fingers threaded through his hair and tugged him back into a yearning kiss. How could she have been so blind to the fact that Jesse was the one she truly needed all this time. She could chalk it up to just being young and silly, but hindsight left her with regret of all the times she let him go whenever he was woven into her history. She let him go after prom. She didn't even entertain the thought after they ran into each other at Nationals because she was engaged to another. Every time she saw his name come up from projects he had been working on, she turned the page and reminded herself of the fact that their story was over. Now she knew that the story was far from done because every time she let him go, he always managed to come back to her. Maybe the fates were trying to tell her that he was her inevitable. Whatever the case may be, she was ready to start entertaining the thought.

There was only so much more thought that could travel the synapses of her brain as Jesse groaned in her ear. At this point, her body had caught up with her heart and she was shivering in the most intense orgasm that made the last one pale in comparison. Her nails dug deep into the smooth skin of his back, definitely sure to leave a mark as she called out his name through the electricity. The feel and sounds of her succumbing to her climax must have been enough to take Jesse to his because it wasn't long before he shuddered into his own release. With one hand tightly grasping the headboard and the other tangled in her hair, Jesse groaned and finally let it all go. He filled her in every way possible, and they were now one.

Things were different now and there was no going back. That was the theme her life had taken when Rachel decided to go back to New York City and reclaim her destiny. She just hadn't factored in the idea that there would be more things that would be set in stone. There was no more running or pushing him away, because it was clear that Jesse St. James was supposed to play a bigger role in her story. While she had just accepted this, that didn't change the fact that it was a scary realization to face that she had been wrong for a chunk of her life. Even in a world where her ex-sweetheart hadn't died, that wouldn't change the fact that she had still been wrong the entire time. Romance should have never felt that hard and taken that much effort. When you're finally with the right person, it all felt so much easier and liberating all at the same time. Still, it was completely unnerving to accept such a fierce presence in her life that could give him the power to hurt her again when she was so dedicated to getting it right this time.

Jesse St. James could be the most amazing addition to her story or he could end up setting it on fire if she let him. His tenderness and devotion told her that he would never want to throw her off her path, but that didn't mean that she wasn't afraid. And yet, as she looked over at him smiling a perfect, sleepy smile, she found herself wanting to try.

"What now?" she finally asked as she nestled up against his side.

"I think that's up to you, Rachel," he murmured, brushing her hair out of her face and behind her ear.

"I think I want to try again," she replied, but raised a hand before he could say anything. "But, we have to take things slow. You know what my future means to me, and I can't get off the path again."

"I'd never want you to," he whispered, shaking his head softly.

"You know what this kind of heartbreak would do to me. What happened between us in the past would pale in comparison to what it would do to me here. I'd never be able to look at this city the same way without seeing you. I don't know how to recover from that heartbreak if you were to walk away from me again."

To her surprise, Jesse chuckled and it took her back to the time they had a clandestine meeting on the Carmel High stage when she told him that heartbreak from him would be life and death. His head had fallen back in laughter before he shared his amusement in her being a bigger drama queen than he was.

"Still my drama queen." he quipped, having clearly been remembering the same occasion. But then he grew more serious. "Can I be real with you, though?"

"Always," she replied.

They were now eye to eye, allowing each other to be completely exposed with each other. Jesse spoke sincerely, speaking words that he had held inside for what had to have been a long time.

"I know the feeling you're afraid of because I've lived it. Do you know how difficult it has been for me to be in New York at the same time as you? When you were in Funny Girl? New York and Broadway are practically tied to all thoughts of you. This city practically screams your name. At one point, part of me thought of going back to Los Angeles and let you have the stage. But I knew that I wouldn't be true to myself if I did that. So, I finally saw you in Funny Girl and I knew that I just couldn't go. There would be no point in it, really. I'd still miss you just the same if I was across the country as I did from the third row that night."

Her heart clenched at the revelation of what pain Jesse had been going through from his side of their separation. Having been consumed with her own feelings, she had forgotten to think about how it must have felt to see an old flame achieving a shared dream all while being a virtual ghost to them.

"I wish we tried again sooner. I don't know how ready I am to jump in fully because I'm afraid of how hard I'll fall, but I want to try," she said, hoping he could see and believe her honesty.

By this point, they were both seated up and facing each other. Jesse took a moment to think and nodded in acceptance.

"Your dreams are just as important as mine. If going slow helps you focus on your schoolwork and career, then I will not get in the way of that. I know you're afraid, but the truth is that I am, too. We both have something to prove here… as well as so much to lose. I understand how delicate it is."

She'd not admit it until much later, but she knew she loved him again in that very moment.

"Thank you," she murmured, now smiling a little. She took his hand and wove their fingers together. "What exactly are we, then? For now, anyway."

His hand slid from hers and went to pull her in for the softest kiss.

"Call it what you want to," he said sweetly.

It was terrifying.

It was exhilarating.

It was everything an epic romance was expected to be.

They had reached a point where they each had enough faith to reopen the book on their old story. But for now, it was time for some much needed sleep nestled in each other's arms. They both knew that they had better rest up tonight because a brand new chapter was going to start in the morning.


End file.
